Abstract
African names, as signs of language, can be divided into two morpho-syntactic categories: they are either nominal, which means they constitute single words, or syntagmatic, implying they are made up of sentences or parts thereof. Therefore, understanding place names in general hugely depends on a critical look at the internal structure of the word(s) or placename(s). This research uses complete semi-structured interviews and documents to critically investigate 20 randomly selected placenames from Kwahu South and Kwahu East districts in the Eastern Region of Ghana. It analyses the syntax, morphology and meaning of these placenames. It applies the Frame Semantic (Fillmore, 1982) concept to ascertain whether the meaning-making elements in the individual names reflect the views or purposes of their ‘namers’ or otherwise, as (oral) histories have them. The selected placenames are then grouped using Tent and Blair (2011) model of Motivations for Naming. The semantic and morphological analysis reveal that some Kwahu habitation names could be realized from non-morphemic parts of words, single stems/roots, phrases, inflections (affixations), etc. Again, vowel elision, coinage, and backformation are used by the name givers, with the topography, environment and other factors being key in the naming process. The paper concludes that Kwahu placenames are useful linguistic sources. The study contributes to the body of knowledge on Kwahu placenames in particular, and Ghanaian toponymy in general. It is recommended that ‘Kwahu’, which also stands as an Akan dialect type, spoken by this speech community, be explored by future researchers.
 
 <p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0787/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>
Highlights
Naming occurs in any language in every human settlement under the universe
The linguistic meaning of a name may be opaque for the following reasons enumerated by Kimeyi (1989): a name may be a loan-word, that is, a word borrowed from a foreign language; it may stem from a secret language, derived from a dialectal origin, or result from linguistic change
A morphosyntactic and semantic analysis of selected town names in Kwahu was the focus of this research Twenty (20) selected toponyms were used
Summary
Naming occurs in any language in every human settlement under the universe. It occupies a special position in the vocabulary of any language. Houis (1983 cited in Batoma, 2009) aptly comments on African onomasticians’ definition of proper names when he writes: “it is necessary that names be first identified as signs of the language They are practically not distinct from other linguistic signs at the level of form, signifiers and morphology. The linguistic meaning of a name may be opaque for the following reasons enumerated by Kimeyi (1989): a name may be a loan-word, that is, a word borrowed from a foreign language; it may stem from a secret language, derived from a dialectal origin, or result from linguistic change To these morpho-syntactic explanations which could be purely academic, one could add a more fundamental touch which is an explanation based on the oral nature or traditional modes of communication. Most of the names are purely symbols since their purpose is mere identification and nothing else because he is unaware of the namer’s motives and message and sometimes the history behind the name itself
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
